Mohali Hospital functioning without fire NOC for over a year

Mohali: In a serious lapse raising concerns over patient safety, the Dr BR Ambedkar State Institute of Medical Sciences and Hospital in Phase 6, Mohali, has reportedly been functioning without a valid fire no-objection certificate (NOC) for over a year, despite handling hundreds of patients daily.

According to the news reports, the hospital’s fire NOC expired in January last year and has not yet been renewed. The facility reportedly caters to nearly 400 patients every day, including those admitted to wards and maternity units, making fire safety compliance critical.

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Speaking to the Hindustan Times, fire officials, wishing not to be named, said the NOC requirement has already been communicated to the institute during multiple meetings. The National Building Code of India, 2016, states that institutional buildings must have a fire hose reel, hydrants, sprinkler systems, manual call points, automatic detection systems, a ground-level water storage capacity of 1.5 lakh litres, and an overhead tank of at least 20,000 litres, given the building height of 15 to 35 metres.

The code also mandates the installation of three pumps with a minimum combined capacity of 2,280 litres per minute, including an electrically operated main pump, a standby pump, and a jockey pump with a capacity of 180 litres per minute.

Responding to the concerns, Additional Medical Superintendent Dr Amit Aggarwal said the hospital had reapplied for the NOC after its expiry, but several deficiencies were pointed out by the assistant divisional fire officer. “Around 80% of these have been resolved. We expect to obtain the NOC soon,” Aggarwal said.

One of the major hurdles in securing clearance is the presence of porta thermo-fab structures installed on the rooftops of the outpatient department and the Mother and Child Care building. Experts have warned that such structures, commonly made from PVC, aluminium, and polyurethane foam insulation, can withstand temperatures only up to around 80 degrees Celsius and may collapse during a major fire incident, potentially aggravating risks before emergency responders arrive.

Another concern highlighted during inspections is the non-functional pump room at the hospital.

Aggarwal said a meeting was held with the managing director of the Punjab Health Systems Corporation (PHSC) recently, from whom a certification is awaited that the rooftop porta thermo-fab structure can withstand fire for a certain period. The new Mother and Child Care Hospital, built according to the PHSC’s directions, was inaugurated in June 2023, he said. Hydrants and sprinklers have been installed, he added, reports Hindustan Times.

The issue has gained urgency after a minor fire incident triggered by a short circuit in the emergency wing of the hospital. Though quickly controlled, it exposed gaps in preparedness and functioning safety systems.

As the only major government healthcare facility in Mohali, the hospital caters to patients from surrounding towns and rural areas. The prolonged delay in obtaining fire safety clearance has sparked concerns over the institution’s readiness to handle emergencies.

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